Anything can happen on a snow day! Unfortunately, most open houses and appointments get canceled due to the cold weather. On the bright side, it is a bonus day that you can enjoy like a little kid or as a responsible adult, here are few tips to enjoy the winter fantasy:

• Start or finish that home project you been putting off.
• Read that book you wanted to read
• Reorganized your home
• Work from home if you able to
• Watch movies and have a spa day at home
• Go out and enjoy the park, play with the snow, make a snowman, have a snowball fight, go sledding, built a igloo
• Go out with friends, kids, significant other, your pet, etc, just have fun!

Here there are some ideas on how to enjoy a snow day from CBS New York.

If you like to cook, entertain, or you just want to add value to your property, remodeling your kitchen is a great idea. Renovations are not to be underestimated, especially if you are planning to do the work your self – if you are not a “McGuyver” type of person, it might be smarter to hire an expert to do the job.

Kitchen renovations are expensive and the total cost can vary depending on the chosen appliances, materials, and, of course, the size of the project. Do not worry though, when done right, renovations do give you a good return on your investment for your property! All you need is a plan in order to get the best possible results for the less amount of money.

This article from house logic gives you ideas on how to get the most financial benefit from your kitchen project.

When the time comes to sell your home, one of the biggest mistakes that owners make is to attach their love and emotions for their place to the sale: everyone believes their house/apartment is better than their neighbors’, therefore some sellers believes that their home should be the most expensive one in the building or in the neighborhood; yes, sure, you have done some upgrades… great upgrades… but the value of the property is mostly related to other factors (like location, current market, etc.) and those upgrades can only increase the value of your property in proportion of their costs.

There are few things that can help you, the owner, to get a more objective idea of the value of your home. First, you should ask your realtor for comps (comparisons with other available or recently sold properties) in the area, secondly, you can also have your home appraised by a licensed appraiser.  These two ideas will help you to price your property right.

If your property is in good condition, if the price is right, if you are flexible with showing schedules, and the property is advertised to the right audience, chances are it will sell faster in an healthy market: selling a property is hard work and it takes lots of time to organize and do everything right (advertise, scheduling appointments, showings, negotiating, etc.). This article from KCM give us an idea on how Appraisers and how owners price properties.

Spending money on rent is a necessity and, sadly, a large portion of our income goes toward it. Seeing your hard earned money spent without a return of investment is difficult to digest. In particular, by looking at the comparison between monthly rent vs monthly mortgage, the former is definitely more expensive than the latter. However, when considering buying, a big obstacle can be represented, on top of the cost of buying the property, by the required down payments that can easily reach 20% (in some cases may be a 10%) plus closing costs. It is not easy to come up with a large chunk of cash, however once you manage to save enough money, your financial situation is stable and no major debts or loans are pending, and your credit is good, it should be a good time to start planning for one if not the biggest investment of your life: buying your home! Here’s a simple step by step guide of things to consider for a successful process:

• Decide what type of investment you are planning for: short or long term investment, transition neighborhoods, or more developed areas (e.g., well-established neighborhoods)
• Obtain a pre-approval Mortgage letter from a bank (shop around and see which lender you wants to work with and provides your with the best options)
• Hire a Real Estate attorney to represent you. This is required in NY state and he or she will review all the terms and conditions of all the legal documents.
• If you decide to work with a Broker (strongly suggested), he or she will help and guide you throughout the entire process. Not only he or she will provide you with all the information you need in order to begin the search, but also your Broker will walk you through the entire set of requirements and help you to navigate a market that is constantly changing. Make sure you discuss all your needs and concerns with your Broker, and work with a Broker that fits your criteria. It is important to focus on selecting a Broker you feel very comfortable working with over a well-known “brand”.
• Choose what it matters most to you. Is it location? Is it commute and convenience? Space? tranquility? The list depends on your preference. However important, this is usually an overlooked step that is required in order for you to not waste time searching and viewing properties that, in the long run, will not fit your life-style.
• Make sure you have a detailed list of your must haves and likes. The first list is about items that you can not live without and you are not willing to compromise on, while the second one should contain items that you would like to see in the property but are not, per se, deal breakers.
• Pick few locations (neighborhoods) where you would feel comfortable living in and that fit your budget. It is normal, at first, to find yourself with unrealistic expectations about where your budget can take you (unfortunately). A good Broker will sit down with you and, based on your pre-qualifications, discuss the best options. A sign of a good Broker is to keep your expectations in check: remember to value the input critically and to not get upset if your expectations are higher than your budget. Breathe, relax, regroup your thoughts, and work together to find a realistic compromise.

Once you find your match, let your Broker guide you. After an offer is accepted and a contract is signed, it can take up to 30 to 45 days for a Mortgage approval. Only after that, a closing can take place for homes and condos type of properties, however, for co-ops, additional board approval is required and that will delay the process further as these meetings are usually scheduled only once a month.

Give your self 2 to 3 months from the beginning of your search up to the day of closing for homes and condos and 3 to 5 months for co-ops. If you have any questions feel free to sent us an email. Enjoy home ownership.

When looking for your next home, many people focus on how their current furniture fits in their new place. However, in reality the furniture should not be the reason to choose your next place. Instead you should concentrate on choosing  a place that feels right, warm, and cozy and then find the right size furniture to go with it.

In a case you are currently renting, you may consider to go with small and light weight furniture and/or  try to purchase multi purpose pieces as this may help since it usually comes with extra storage (e.g. a bed with storage underneath, folding dinning tables, sofa beds, etc.).

Since most likely you will move few times before you purchase your own dream place, do not allow your current furniture to decide where you live! Here, you can find great ideas by buzzfeed to maxime spaces!

This beautiful large studio is located 2 blocks from Central Park and less then 4 blocks from the subway station. This apartment is located in the heart of the Upper East Side in a gorgeous limestone mansion that features great foyer lobby and gorgeous staircases. The apartment is available for rent now.

Monthly rent: $2000 RENTED

Features

Apartment has hardwood floors, renovated kitchen with cherry woods cabinets with stainless steel appliances, 4 large closets, bathroom with skylight, decorative fire place, it is located on the 4th floor facing South.

Requirements

• Income 40 x monthly rent.
• Good credit.
• Students are required to prepay year upfront.

Contact Information

Please call 347-668-6681 or send an e-mail to paula@tezarealty.com for information and/or to schedule an appointment.

Having an apartment that you love in an ideal location within your budget can be challenging, especially when it comes to what type of furniture to use and how to decorate your sweet home. We would like to share with you some of the most effective ways to have a well organize place. The easiest way to do it, without compromising your comfort, is to buy small, light weight, and multi use furniture. See some great inspirational ideas at http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/creative-limited-space-design/.

Selling your home can be more complex than you might think. The many aspects associated with the process can be quite daunting at times: marketing your home for maximum exposure, finding the right Broker, planning for the costs associated with selling a home, and dealing with the emotional aspects of leaving your own space (especially if you have lived there for many years). This guide from Forbes.com describes the process in 16 steps.

In this article from AMNY, buying the rental apartment you have been living in might be cheaper than you expect. The discount depends on many factors, such as your current rent, type of lease, how long you been living in the apartment, market rate, if is stabilized rent, etc. Jeff Reich explains

If the numbers work in your favor, says Reich, you could be looking at a discounted sales price for as much as 35 to 40 percent below the market rate.

Last year, New York governor Eliot Spitzer revealed plans to bring three blocky towers to the South Williams burg waterfront, each of which will rise 24 stories and will hold, in total, around 850 apartments (20 percent of which will be affordable).

While some exterior renderings had been revealed (and deemed “offensive” by Brooklynites and De Blasio advisers alike), new batch of images discovered by 6sqft shows some new looks at the building. The new images show the public park and waterfront esplanade that will sit between two of the buildings, along with a close-up view of a tower and one of its rooftop pools. images and article from Curbed New York http://ny.curbed.com/2016/3/28/11317980/eliot-spitzer-oda-new-york-brooklyn-development-rendering.